Meaning & use
non-essential relative clause
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Meaning
nouncountabletechnical
A clause that adds extra information about a noun and is separated by commas; it can be left out without changing the main meaning.
Grammar: Countable: a non-essential relative clause, two non-essential relative clauses. Often used with 'which' or 'who'.
Patterns
- a non-essential relative clause
- use a non-essential relative clause
- introduce a non-essential relative clause
In 'My brother, who lives in Paris, is a doctor', the phrase 'who lives in Paris' is a non-essential relative clause.
You can remove a non-essential relative clause and the sentence still makes sense.
Non-essential relative clauses are always set off by commas.
Word forms
| plural | non-essential relative clauses |
|---|
Common combinations
- introduce a non-essential relative clause
- You can introduce a non-essential relative clause with 'which' or 'who'.
- set off by commas
- A non-essential relative clause is set off by commas.
- remove a non-essential relative clause
- If you remove a non-essential relative clause, the sentence still works.
Synonyms and how they differ
- non-defining relative clause
- The usual British term for the same grammar point.
- nonrestrictive relative clause
- The term used in some American grammar books.
Opposites
Commonly confused: non-essential relative clause or essential relative clause?
non-essential relative clause vs essential relative clause
An essential (or defining) relative clause gives information needed to identify the noun and is not separated by commas: 'The man who called is my uncle.'
Practice
Which sentence contains a non-essential relative clause?
Choose one answer.
The clause 'which I bought yesterday' is extra information set off by commas, so it is non-essential. Option A has a defining clause without commas.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “non-essential relative clause”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.